Electrically operated key container



Aug. 4, 1931. w. H. LOYTE ELECTRIGALLY OPERATED KEY CONTAINER Original Filed March 12. 1928 Patented Aug. 4,1931

PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. LQYTE, OF SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS l ELEGTRICALLY OPERATED KEY. CONTAINER Rele for abandoned application Serial No.,261,116, tiled March 12, 1928. This application filed January 20, 1930. Serial No. 422,242.

My invention comprises a device whichl when in use as hereinafter described provides a convenient receptacle vfor the key toa `building provided with a sprinkler system for the prevention of fire, so that the key is readily available for opening the door of the building in case ofV fire. n

j I provide the mechanism. illustrated in the accompanying Ydrawings in which Figure,

1 shows 4the key container; Figure `2 is .a front view. showing the relay latch' in engagement with tubes,'and showing diagrammatically the electrical. connections with sprinkler circuit and police alarm circuit; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the mechanism atthe back ofthe device; Figure 4 shows'position of device in relation to Wall of building;` `Figure 5 is a detail showing a form ofthe cover or cap; Figure 6 is adetail in. section showing relative` sizes of latch .and lateral yslots in the tubes, relative positions of the slots in relationto each other and the pin, also relativeA positions of {contact parts at rear ends of the tubes.

I'provide a plate lrupon Whiohvthe parts vof my device are disposed. VAlong tube 2projects through and is perpendicular to plate 1. Tube 2 .is long enoughtoproject j through the door casing 3 offa buildingto the outside thereof when theV apparatus.- is

vpositioned as hereinafter described. Tube 2 is open at both ends'andV is held in position by meansof a bracket 4 to which the tube is fastened by screws, 5. In tube 2is a lateral slot 6 and opposite thel lateralslot Vpostr. `Av cup shaped piece of metal` 12 is ailixed to core 10 so that the open endV 13 of` the cup 12 is towards bracket-4 A helical spring 14 is ymounted on post 8 and is in Contact with and' normally exerts presbolts. is a pin 7 which projects intothe tube. A .to the Outside of the' building und PTO .post 8*.is immovably mounted on bracket tact stud 15. Aixed to contact stud 15 is a vstrippof contact metal 16 which is in contact with bracket 4 at 17. Aliixed'to plate 1 and passing therethrough is a co'ntactstud 18. Alixed to stud 18` is a piece of Contact metal 19, the freeend 0I" which 20 is near the open end 13 of metallic cup 12. A tube 21 closed at one end 22 and somewhat shorter than tube 2 is movably mounted in tube 2with its open end 23 projecting inward andin contact with core 10. Near openV end 23 oftube 21 is a lateral slot 24. Opposite slot 24 and extending from the open end 23 of tube 21 towards its closed end 22 to a positio-n slightly beyond lateral slot 24 is a longitudinal slot 25. I provide a latch 26 which is pivotally mounted on a pivot 27 end ofV Vwhich isy in contact with end 32 oit latch 26 but normally exerting no pressure thereon. Wires 83 and. 85 connect' contact studs 34 and 36 of relay 30 with Wires 39 jand 40, respectively, of the electric circuit which operates lire extinguishing vsprinkler system indicated by letter S the drawings.

. lThe operative kposition lof my invention in Figurev 2 of is preferably on ornear thedoor-,rame and Y lvide a removable cap 41A for covering the f ends of the tubes.

When .the device is set up it is made ready for use in the following manner: The door key is placed in tube 21. The open end of the tube is then inserted in tube` 2 from outside oi the building and Vvtube 21 is turned until longitudinal slot 25 engages pin 7 in tube 2. Tube 21 is then pressed into tube 2 until lateral slot 24 in tube'21 is positioned parallel with and adj auil cent to lateral slot 6 in tube 2. Thereupon the pressure exerted on latch 2G by spring 29 forces locking end 28 of the latch into lateral slot 24 so that tube 21 is locked in tube 2 with closed end 22 of tube 21 flush with the outer end of tube 2. To attain this locked position spring 14: has been made to contract. It will be found that pin 7 rests in longitudinal slot 25 at a short distance from the inner end of the slot. After tube 21 has been locked in tube 2 as described, it will be found that pressure on closed end 22 of tube 21 will cause tube 21 to move farther into tube 2 until open end 13 of metallic cup l2 touches contact metal 19 at 20, this movement being made possible by the position of pin 7 with reference to the inner end of longitudinal slot 25 which permits the slight additional movement required to make such contact.

rlhe operation of my device is as follows: lhen fire in the building causes the sprinkler system to operate by means of the electrical system, the electric current passes through the relay causing relay striker 31 to exert pressure on end 32 of latch 26 and this pressure causes the locking end 28 of latch 26 to withdraw from lateral slots G and 24, thus releasing tube 21. Thereupon expansion of spring 11 forces closed end 22 of tube 21 beyond end of tube 2 on outside of building. Upon removal of cap i1 tube 21 may be pulled out of tube 2, the key obtained and the door of the buildri ing opened therewith, thus avoiding dam` as described.

To prevent theft of the key from the container 1 I make tube 21 of hardened steel with its closed end 22 extra thick. Tube 21 being fitted into tube 2 and locked as described, the only means for getting access to the key would be by boring through end 22 of tube 21 which would involve pressure on the end of tube 21. In order to give notice of attempts to remove the key, studs 15 and 18 are connected by wires 37 and 38 with an alarm, as A, operated by a battery B, the alarm being on the outside of the building or in theA nearest police station or in both places. If then an attempt is made to stealthe key, pressure on end 22 of tube 21 forces open end 13 of metallic cup 12 into contact with metallic piece 19 at 20, closing the electric circuit through battery B and alarm A, causing the alarm to ring, but not releasing tube 21 and the key. For protection I enclose the entire device in a box C of suitable size, shown in cross-section in Figure 1.

My device may be used with or without the parts pertaining to the giving of notice of attempted theft and be within the scope of my invention.

Vhile I have described as my preferred construction a metallic cup 12 and contact strips 16 and 19, I do not desire to limit 1. In a device of the class described, a

plate, a tube mounted on the plate, open at both ends and long enough to project from the plate through the door casing of a building to the outside of the building, a bracket mounted on the plate and means for fastening the tube to the bracket, a lateral slot in the tube, a pin projecting laterally into the tube, a post immovably mounted on the bracket and projecting into the tube, a core of nonconductive material Within the tube and movably mounted on the post, contact metal affixed to the core and positioned between the core and bracket, a helicalspring mounted on the post and normally exerting pressure on the bracket and contact metal, a contact stud passing through the plate, contact metal operatively connecting the stud and bracket, contact metal affixed to the plate and positioned between the first mentioned contact metal and the bracket, a contact stud passing through the plate and the last mentioned contact metal, a tube closed at one end and movably mounted in the lrst mentioned tube and having its open end projecting V into said first mentioned tube and in contact with the core therein, a lateral slot near'the open end of the inner tube, a longitudinal slot eX- tending from the open end of the inner tube and diametrically opposite said lat-eral slot, a latch pivotally mounted on a post so that the end of the latch may Venter the lateral slots in the tubes, a spring on the post and normally exerting pressure on the latch so as to hold it in the slots, an electric relay, -v

means for exerting pressure on the latch and withdrawing its latching end from the slots when the relay is electrically operated, wires connecting the contact studs of the relay with the electric circuit which operates a fire sprinkler system, and wires which connect the contact studs on the plate with a burglar alarm, as described.

2. In a device of the class described, a

plate, a tube open at both ends, mounted on` Also,'while I have described the plate and long enough to project from the plate through the door casing of a building to the outside of the building, a

bracket mounted on the plate and means for -fastening the tube to the bracket, a lateral Illslot in the tube, 4a pin projecting laterally into the tube, a core Within the tube and movably mounted on a post, a helical spring mounted on the post and normally exerting pressure on the bracket and core, a tube 101 closed at one end and movably mounted in therst mentioned tube and having its open end projecting into the first mentioned tube and in contact With the core therein, a lateral slot near the open end of the inner tube,

: a longitudinal slot extending from the open end of the inner tube and diametrically op` posite said lateral slot, a latch pivotally mounted on a post so that an end of the latch may enter the lateral slots in the tubes, a spring on the post and normally exerting pressure on the latch so as to hold the locking end thereof normally in the slots in the tubes, an electric relay, means for exerting pressure on the latch and withdrawing its locking end from the slots When the relay is electrically operated, and Wires connecting contact studs on the relay With the electric circuit which operates a fire sprinkler 30 system, as described.

WILLIAM H. LOYTE. 

